Thread: Trouble setting a bevel

First indicator that the hone is working is the grey coloured slurry/swarf.

If you are seeing grey then the hone is working, It's just a case of looking at the edge and moving it about in the light. A bevel that has met will show no light reflection off the cutting edge, An unmet bevel will reflect light from the cutting edge. This isn't the sides of the edge it's from the actual crown/peak of the edge.

While it's not a perfect test it will help.

Get a good overhead light, and use something dark as the background, You will see as you hone the reflected light from the peak will get thinner and thinner, then at some point it will be very hard to catch that reflected light at all. Once you have the feel of the reflection looking for it becomes a lot easier and you can check the bevel at a glance with a quick flick of the blade in to the light. I believe the pro's look for this more than they are actually looking at the metal itself, As it's easier than getting a loupe out when you are doing the rough bevel estimates.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...l-setting.html

I spent a few hours when I started with a cheapo razor, Dulling it then making the bevel meet to get a feel for the hones and to learn what to look for, It's never easy. The basics are, but the basics will only cover you when you have a razor that wants to play ball. The rest of the time it's trial and improvement.

Your also not grinding, you are honing. You only want to remove what you need to, If you go balls out you will cause more problems than you fix.